Recordal service for voice communications

ABSTRACT

A service system is provided for recording spoken passages exchanged between parties, for example, via the public telephone system. The service system is called into action preferably by the agreement of the parties and is used to make a recording of the spoken exchanges between the parties. At the termination of recording, each party is preferably provided with the opportunity to review the recording and asked to confirm their acceptance of the recording. The service system then provides a reference copy of the recording. Where a digital copy of the recording is made, the parties are preferably required to indicate their acceptance by digitally signing and returning the recording to the service system.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the recordal, by a trustedparty, of spoken passages exchanged between multiple parties; inparticular, but not exclusively the present invention relates to aservice for recording oral contracts made by telephone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,104 describes a method for ordering atelecommunication service in which an intelligent peripheral plays a“terms and conditions” message to an individual requesting the service,and recognizes and records a verbal response from a user in a databaserecord in order to form a contract.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide astraight-forward way of having a trusted party record an oral agreementmade over the telephone and, more generally to have a trusted partyrecord any form of spoken passage exchanged between multiple parties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of recording spoken passages exchanged betweenmultiple parties, comprising the steps of :

[0005] (a) at the start of, or during the course of, voice communicationbetween the parties over a communications infrastructure, routing voicestreams from each party to a recordal service;

[0006] (b) making a recording, at the recordal service, of the voicestreams;

[0007] (c) terminating the recording; and

[0008] (d) providing from the recordal service a reference copy of therecording;

[0009] all parties each being asked by the recordal service to indicateacceptance of at least one of:

[0010] commencement of recording;

[0011] termination of recording;

[0012] the recording made;

[0013] with step (d) only being effected if all asked-for acceptancesare indicated to the recordal service.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a service system for recording spoken passages exchangedbetween multiple parties, comprising:

[0015] a communications interface for receiving voice streams from eachparty these voice streams together making up a voice exchange betweenthe parties;

[0016] recording means for making a recording of the voice streams;

[0017] reference-copy means for providing a reference copy of therecording;

[0018] control means for commencing and terminating the recording, thecontrol means including acceptance-checking means for asking all partieseach to indicate acceptance of at least one of:

[0019] commencement of recording;

[0020] termination of recording;

[0021] the recording made;

[0022]  the control means being operative to inhibit provision of thereference copy by the reference-copy means unless all asked-foracceptances are indicated to the acceptance-checking means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] A method and service system embodying the invention, for therecording of spoken passages by a trusted party, will now be described,by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawings, in which:

[0024]FIG. 1 is a diagram of a recordal service system embodying theinvention provided in the context of a PSTN;

[0025]FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the main process steps carried outby the FIG. 1 service system in recording spoken exchanges between twoparties communicating via the PSTN; and

[0026]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the main process steps carried outby a second service system embodying the invention, in recording spokenexchanges between two parties communicating via a packet-switchednetwork.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0027]FIG. 1 depicts a voice recordal service 18 associated with aservice node 17 of a Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN 10. The PSTN10 comprises switches 13, 14 for setting up bearer circuits (shown asthick lines) through the PSTN between telephones in accordance withcontrol signals passed over signalling channels 16 (shown as dashedlines). In the FIG. 1 PSTN, the switches 13, 14 constitute serviceswitching points (SSP), that is, they are capable of detecting when adialled number corresponds to a request for a particular service (suchas an 800 number service). When an SSP detects such a service request,it hands off control to another network element such as a servicecontrol point SCP (not illustrated) or a service node such as node 17. Aservice node differs from an SCP in that, as well as including anenvironment for running service logic programs for effecting callcontrol (as does an SCP), it further includes functionality forinterfacing with the voice bearer circuits of the PSTN in order to carryout special functions such as DTMF tone collection, delivery of voicemessages, voice recognition, text to speech conversion, etc. as is wellunderstood by persons skilled in the art.

[0028] In the present example, two telephone users A and B communicatingvia PSTN 10 using their respective telephones 11, 12, determine thatthey wish to record an agreement regarding the subject of theirtelephone conversation. To do this, user A signals to SSP 13 (forexample, by a “flash hook” signal following by dialling a specialrecordal service number)—see step 21 of the FIG. 2 flow chart. SSP 13,on recognising the dialled number as that associated with the recordalservice, responds by routing both the user A call branch 15A and theuser B call branch 15B over respective circuits 15C and 15D to servicenode 17 along with signalling information causing the call branches tobe associated with a newly created instance of the recordal service 9(see step 22).

[0029] The recordal service instance now causes each party to be playedan initial message explaining what is happening and the terms of use ofthe service (step 23); each party is asked to confirm theirunderstanding of these matters. Either user may exit the service at thistime.

[0030] Assuming both parties indicate they wish to continue, then thecall branches are connected at the service node and the parties exchangespoken passages setting out the matters to be recorded; the recordalservice makes a recording of these exchanges (step 24). Should eitherparty terminate the call by replacing their phone during the recordingprocess (or, indeed, at any time before the service process hascompleted all its steps), then the recordal process is abandoned by theservice and the recording is erased.

[0031] When the parties have finished the exchange they wish recorded,one party indicates this by pressing a predetermined key sequence whichis recognised by the service at the service node (step 25). The partiesare then individually asked to confirm that recording should beterminated; if one party indicates otherwise, then recording is resumed.

[0032] When the recording has been terminated by mutual consent, theparties are then given an opportunity to review the recording by havingit played back to them (step 26). This step can be made obligatory (or,conversely, but not preferably, omitted entirely together with thefollowing step of acceptance of the replayed recording). The playback ofthe recording by the service system is effected with the superpositionof a continuity sound signal (such as a continuously rising, orcyclically varying, tone). This signal provides a ready indication toeach user as to whether any parts of the played back recording hasfailed to reach them since breaks in the continuity sound signal areeasily noted, even whilst the user listens to the spoken content of theplayback.

[0033] At the end of playback of the recording, each user isindependently asked to indicate their acceptance of the recording (step27). Only if both parties confirm acceptance (for example, byappropriate key presses) does the service system proceed to the finalstep (step 28) of establishing a definitive recording that both partiescan trust. This definitive recording is stored in secure storage 19 at,or accessible from, the service system. Finally, each party is given anaccess code which they can use subsequently to access and playback therecording by dialling a playback number of the service system andentering the code using key presses.

[0034] The recordal service can now either terminate the call with bothparties or instruct the SSP 13 to take back the call and reconnect thecall branches at the switch.

[0035] Since in the above process the only identification of the partiesthat is present in the recording resides in what is said and the voicecharacteristics, it is preferable that the service associates furtheridentification information with the recording such as obtained throughcalling line identification. Greater certainty can be achieved byrequiring users of the service to have pre-registered at which time eachuser is given a unique secret code which the user must key in duringstep 23 of the recordal service process.

[0036] A more secure recording process can be achieved where the partiesare in voice communication by a fully digital data network (for example,a Voice Over IP exchange—VoIP—effected across the public internetbetween internet-connected PCs), since this permits digital signaturetechniques to be employed. An example recording process for a such anenvironment is depicted by the flow chart of FIG. 3, it being assumedthat the parties have agreed to have their exchange recorded and haveboth contacted a recordal service and joined a common recordal sessionat the service (this can be achieved in a number of ways, as will beapparent to persons skilled in the art, including by incorporatingdedicated software into the package used for VoIP telephony by eachparty).

[0037] After both parties have connected to the recordal session (step31), the recordal service terms are presented to each party (step 32)with recording only proceeding if both parties indicate their acceptance(step 33). Recording now proceeds and in due course the parties bothindicate that the recording should be stopped, thereby terminating themaking of the recording (step 34). The recording made by the servicesystem is digital in nature and typically comprises a compressed audiofile; where the service system has a speech recognition facility, thenthe recording could alternatively take the form of a text transcript.

[0038] A copy of the digital recording is now sent to each party forreview (as already indicated for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, thisstep 35 can be omitted, made optional or obligatory). Each party reviewsthe recording and if satisfied, digitally signs it (step 36), withoutmaking any changes, using a party-specific public key of apublic/private key pair previously obtained from a certificationauthority in well known manner. The parties then return the signedrecordings to the service system which then uses the public key of eachparty to confirm that the returned recordings correspond to what eachparty signed and are identical to the recording sent to each party (step37).

[0039] Having each party sign a copy of the recording using theirprivate key provides for non-repudiation by the signing party (that is,the signature makes it impossible for the party to deny that they agreedto the recording, assuming that the digital signature technology usedhas not been compromised).

[0040] Assuming that the returned signed recordings match that sent out,the service system then sends a copy of the recording, digitally signedby the service with its own private key, to both parties; this copyforms the ‘reference’ copy of the recording intended to be referred toby the parties as a true copy of their recorded exchanges. The servicewill generally also store the reference copy of the recording (andpreferably of the signed recordings returned by each party which mayalso be provided to the other party or parties as indicated in step 38).In fact, the service need not provide a copy of the recording signed byitself to each party if it has securely stored a copy of the recordingas the reference copy or if it has passed each party the copy signed bythe other party or parties (in which case, these signed copies becomethe reference copies). In cases where the service stores a referencecopy of the recording, it will generally provide access codes to theparties giving them read access rights.

[0041] Many other variants are, of course, possible to the arrangementsdescribed above. For example, the step of confirming usage conditions ofthe service can be omitted, particularly where one or both parties havepreviously registered with the service.

[0042] Furthermore, even where the parties are talking to each otherover an analogue line, the recordal service can still make a digitalrecording of the exchanges between the parties, and then sent copies ofthe recording for review and acceptance by the parties either over theanalogue lines (with the use of modems) or over a separate digital link.The review and acceptance of the recording need not necessarily be doneduring the course of the call giving rise to the recording and could bedone later.

1. A method of recording spoken passages exchanged between multipleparties, comprising the steps of: (a) at the start of, or during thecourse of, voice communication between the parties over a communicationsinfrastructure, routing voice streams from each party to a recordalservice; (b) making a recording, at the recordal service, of the voicestreams; (c) terminating the recording; and (d) providing from therecordal service a reference copy of the recording; all parties eachbeing asked by the recordal service to indicate acceptance of at leastone of: commencement of recording; termination of recording; therecording made; with step (d) only being effected if all asked-foracceptances are indicated to the recordal service.
 2. A method accordingto claim 1, wherein the recordal service asks each of the parties toindicate acceptance of the recording by the following additional stepsmade between steps (c) and (d): (i) providing each party with at leastthe opportunity to review the recording made in step (b); and (ii)asking each party to indicate their acceptance of the recording.
 3. Amethod according to claim 2, wherein the recording made in step (b) isdigital in form and acceptance of the recording in step (ii) by a saidparty involving that party digitally signing the digital recording witha party-specific private key and returning the signed recording to theservice, the service thereupon checking that the returned signedrecording from each party corresponds to the recording sent for signing.4. A method according to claim 3, wherein step (d) involves the servicedigitally signing a copy of the recording with its private key, thissigned copy constituting the reference copy of the recording which isthen passed to each party and/or stored by the service.
 5. A methodaccording to claim 3, wherein step (d) involves the service passing onthe signed copies it has received to the parties and/or storing thesigned recordings, these signed recordings each constituting a saidreference copy.
 6. A method according to claim 3, wherein the serviceeffects speech recognition on the voice streams, the recording providedto the parties for signing being in the form of a transcript text file.7. A method according to claim 2, wherein the voice communication is bytelephone with the voice circuits of the parties being routed to aservice node for provision of the recordal service, review of therecoding in step (i) involving the voice playback of the recording, theservice storing a copy of the recording as the reference copy.
 8. Amethod according to claim 7, wherein the playback of the recording isaccompanied by a continuity sound signal for facilitating theidentification by a party of the incompleteness of receipt of theplayback.
 9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the identity of eachparty is confirmed by the service using calling line identificationand/or a party-specific unique identifier previously issued by theservice.
 10. A method according to claim 2, wherein step (i) and (ii)are performed independently of said voice communication between theparties.
 11. A method according to claim 2, wherein the voicecommunication between the parties is effected by digitized voice datapackets transmitted and received by the parties.
 12. A method accordingto claim 1, wherein prior to making the recording, the recordal serviceindependently asks each party to indicate their acceptance of the use ofthe recordal service.
 13. A method according to claim 1, wherein priorto terminating the recording, the recordal service independently askseach party to indicate their acceptance of termination of the recording.14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the recordal service askseach party to indicate their acceptance of each of: commencement ofrecording; termination of recording; the recording made.
 15. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the voice streams pass between the partiesvia the recordal service.
 16. A method according to claim 1, wherein thereference copy of the recording is stored by the service and each partyis provided with a code or codes for enabling subsequent read access bythe party to the stored reference copy of the recording.
 17. A servicesystem for recording spoken passages exchanged between multiple parties,comprising: a communications interface for receiving voice streams fromeach party these voice streams together making up a voice exchangebetween the parties; recording means for making a recording of the voicestreams; reference-copy means for providing a reference copy of therecording; control means for commencing and terminating the recording,the control means including acceptance-checking means for asking allparties each to indicate acceptance of at least one of: commencement ofrecording; termination of recording; the recording made; the controlmeans being operative to inhibit provision of the reference copy by thereference-copy means unless all asked-for acceptances are indicated tothe acceptance-checking means.
 18. A service system according to claim17, wherein the acceptance-checking means is operative to ask each ofthe parties to indicate acceptance of the recording by providing eachparty with at least the opportunity to review the recording and askingeach party to indicate their acceptance of the recording.
 19. A servicesystem according to claim 18, wherein the recording means is operativeto make said recording in digital form, the acceptance-checking meanscomprising: means for sending a copy of the recording to each party;means for receiving back from each party wishing to indicate theiracceptance of the recording, a copy of the recording digitally signed bythe party with a party-specific private key; and means for checking thata digitally-signed copy of the recording returned from a said partycorresponds to the recording sent for signing.
 20. A service systemaccording to claim 19, wherein the reference-copy means is operative togenerate the reference copy by digitally signing a copy of the recordingwith a private key of a public-key/private-key cryptographic pair.
 21. Aservice system according to claim 19, wherein the reference-copy meansis operative to use the digitally-signed copies of the recordingreturned from the parties as said reference copy.
 22. A service systemaccording to claim 19, wherein the recording means includes a speechrecognition system for converting the voice streams into a transcripttext file, this file being used by the acceptance-checking as the copyof the recording sent to the parties for signing.
 23. A service systemaccording to claim 17, the service system being provided at a servicenode of a telephone network, the acceptance-checking means beingoperative to ask for acceptance of the recoding by playing back therecording over a voice circuit of the telephone network.
 24. A servicesystem according to claim 23, wherein the acceptance-checking meansincludes means for providing a continuity sound signal playedsimultaneously with the playback of the recording whereby to facilitatethe identification by a party of the incompleteness of receipt of theplayback.
 25. A service system according to claim 18, wherein theacceptance-checking means, in asking all parties each to indicateacceptance of the recording, is operative to do so independently of saidvoice communication between the parties.
 26. A service system accordingto claim 18, wherein the voice communication between the parties iseffected by digitized voice data packets transmitted and received by theparties, the communications interface being operative to receive thevoice streams in the form of digitized voice data packets.
 27. A servicesystem according to claim 17, wherein the acceptance checking means isoperative, prior to the recording being made by the recording means, toindependently ask each party to indicate their acceptance of the use ofthe service system.
 28. A service system according to claim 17, whereinthe acceptance checking means is operative, prior to the recording meansterminating the recording, to independently ask each party to indicatetheir acceptance of termination of the recording.
 29. A service systemaccording to claim 17, wherein the acceptance checking means isoperative to ask each party to indicate their acceptance of each of:commencement of recording; termination of recording; the recording made.30. A service system according to claim 17, wherein the voice streamspass between the parties via the recordal service, the communicationsinterface being operative to forward the voice stream received from eachparty to the or each other party.
 31. A service system according toclaim 17, further comprising storage means for storing the referencecopy of the recording, means for providing each party with a code orcodes for enabling subsequent read access by the party to the storedcopy, and means for providing code-restricted read access to thereference copy of the recording.